There are major consequences to being arrested for DUI in the State of Florida. It is a serious crime. The State of Florida makes a determination of punishment guidelines based upon the result of a breathalyzer test.

A breathalyzer is a breath test device that is used to estimate the blood alcohol content of a person.  If you are convicted of a first offense DUI and your breathalyzer result is under .15, you could face up to 6 months in jail, be fined from $500.00 to $1,000.00, and lose your drivers license for anywhere from 180 days to one year. If your breathalyzer was .15 or over or there was a minor in the vehicle, in addition to the loss of your drivers license, you could face up to up to 9 months in jail and be fined anywhere from $1,000.00 to $2,000.00. If you are convicted of a second or third DUI charge, the fines will be even higher. For example, the fines can range from $1,000.00 to above $5,000.00 and you could lose your drivers license for up to 10 years. These are only a few distinctions in regards to the required statutory punishments as they relate to DUIs involving a breathalyzer result.

The State of Florida will also request a urine sample if a breathalyzer result shows negative for alcohol content.  A urine sample is used to show whether a driver is under the influence of a controlled substance or chemical substance.  Many driver’s fail to understand that the prescription drugs they may be taking can influence them “to the extent that their normal faculties are impaired” warranting  a legal charge of DUI. There are also some instances where blood may be taken without request from the driver suspected of DUI.

If you are arrested for DUI, you should immediately contact an attorney.  A Driver has only ten days from the time the DUI citation is issued in which to request a hearing with the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle in order to preserve their driver’s license.  If not, the driver’s license will automatically be suspended for a period of time.

Also, there are certain procedures a police officer must meet in determining whether or not to arrest a person for DUI. Your attorney will ensure the police followed those procedures. If the police did not follow those procedures during the stop, it is likely that you may be exonerated of the charges or have the case reduced to a lesser crime.

Alexander Truluck focuses his practice as a criminal defense attorney in Clearwater, Palm Harbor, Largo, Dunedin and the Tampa Bay area.

For more information, visit our website at http://www.criminallawyerclearwaterflorida.com
or call (727) 799-3550.